Autonomous Vehicle Remote Control via Sensor-Based Proximity Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous vehicles lack manual control options in congested or unmapped areas, such as parking garages, making navigation challenging without onboard navigation controls like steering wheels.
Innovation Solution
Implementing external control systems using a remote controller connected to the vehicle via wired or wireless communication, with sensors to ensure safe operation by detecting objects and adjusting control signals based on proximity, allowing manual control in specific environments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If autonomous vehicles use fully automatic controls without manual controls, then automation level is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates in congested or unmapped areas
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle control system dynamically switches between fully autonomous mode and remote control mode based on environmental conditions. In congested or unmapped areas, the system transitions from automatic control to remote control, allowing dynamic adaptation of control characteristics to resolve the contradiction between high automation and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The vehicle is equipped with multiple control interfaces: fully autonomous control for normal operation and remote control capabilities for special situations. This multi-functionality allows the vehicle to handle both automated driving and manual intervention scenarios, resolving the contradiction by providing appropriate control modes for different operating conditions.
2Ease of operation
If remote control commands are implemented without sensor-based adjustments, then ease of operation is improved, but safety deteriorates due to potential collisions
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle incorporates sensor systems that continuously monitor the environment and provide feedback to the control system. When objects are detected within safety distances, the system automatically adjusts or overrides remote control commands, creating a feedback loop that maintains safety while preserving remote control functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor system performs preliminary detection of potential hazards before they become critical threats. By identifying objects in advance and calculating safety distances, the system can prevent collisions by preemptively adjusting control commands, thus ensuring safety before harmful events occur.
3Reliability
If sensors adjust control signals to prevent collisions, then safety is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control system acts as an intermediary layer between the remote control interface and the vehicle's actuation systems. This intermediary processes sensor data, determines safety distances, and adjusts commands accordingly, centralizing the complexity in a dedicated control module rather than distributing it throughout the entire system.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces complex mechanical safety systems with electronic sensor-based detection and software-based control adjustment. Instead of mechanical interlocks or physical safety mechanisms, the patent uses sensors and algorithms to detect hazards and adjust control signals, reducing mechanical complexity while maintaining safety.
Data Source
AI summary
Remote controlling of a vehicle, such as an autonomous vehicle, may sometimes be more efficient and/or reliable. Such control, however, may require processes for ensuring safety of surrounding persons and objects. Aspects of this disclosure include using onboard sensors to detect objects in an environment and alter remote commands according to such objects, e.g. by reducing a maximum permitted velocity of the vehicle as a function of distance to detected objects. In some examples described herein, such remote controlling may be performed by using objects in the environment as control objects, with movements of the control objects resulting in movement of the vehicle.